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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · arm · bay · row · bass · roll · stem · foot

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. drill — a practice
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. roll — a cake
  11. row — to paddle
  12. drill — the tool
  13. row — a line
  14. stem — to come from
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com